Hermione squealed again but he was ready for her hug and grinned at her beaming face. "Oh, Harry! This is fantastic! Just think! We could sit our OWL a year early and that's one less for our fifth year and – oh, but there's only a month and I've only just started reading for Runes! And then there's…"
"You're more than welcome to join Harry's tutoring lessons, Hermione." Sirius said quickly.
"And if I can get into fifth year Runes, you definitely can." Harry assured her. "You did better than me on the third year stuff."
Hermione smiled up at him and nodded briskly. "Anthony Goldstein and Daphne Greengrass probably got Outstandings as well. Maybe Sue Li? I wonder if they'll want to take the test. Probably Anthony will. He told me before the exam that he was already half a term into the fourth year material."
The sound of someone approaching had them turning around rapidly to see Bill running up to them.
Sirius sent Remus a questioning look and Remus nodded.
"I sent a patronus asking if we were needed to remain here and for an update. I didn't expect a personal reply."
Bill waved at them as he joined them before bending double and catching his breath. "Merlin, that's some climb!"
"I preferred Fawkes helping me out." Harry admitted.
"So, what was in the secret room?" asked Sirius. "Do you need Harry?"
Bill shook his head. "There's nothing in the room."
"Nothing?" questioned Remus sharply, his eyes narrowing before he sighed deeply. "Of course, anything of value, Voldemort would have taken when he discovered the Chamber as a teenager, as Tom Riddle."
"That's our theory." Bill confirmed. "There's evidence that there were books, potions and there are some old cauldrons that were left lying on the floor but…" he shook his head, began to speak and stopped again at the sight of Hermione before he opened his mouth again, "definitely nothing of value."
Harry knew that meant the object they were looking for must be hidden elsewhere in Hogwarts. They'd have to regroup.
Sirius sighed. "I guess it was unlikely he would have gone back there if he'd taken everything of value with him."
"Bertie and the Headmaster are doing another check to see if there are any other nooks and crannies down there where stuff might have been hidden away but…" Bill shrugged.
Hermione was looking from Sirius to Bill to Remus with a calculating look that Harry knew all too well.
He hurriedly cleared his throat. "We should get going."
"Me too," Bill said, "I volunteered to come up so I could check on Ginny."
"Poppy gave her a sleeping potion." Remus informed him. "But I'm sure your Mum would appreciate the support. She's had a bit of a shock."
Bill nodded. "See you guys."
Sirius nodded. "Tell Bertie I'll owl." He ushered Hermione and Harry out of the door. "Come on. The sooner we get clear of the wards, the sooner we celebrate with cake and ice-cream!"
Harry smiled at Sirius's antics but his eyes caught Hermione's contemplative expression again and his heart sank. He didn't want to keep secrets from his friends but Sirius and Remus had discussed the necessity of it with him many times and he knew it was for their protection as much as it was for his. They didn't need to know about the treasure hunt or about the prophecy (and there were times as he had confided in Healer Allen that he wished he hadn't been so insistent on learning about it himself) and knowing about either would only put them in danger.
Hermione suddenly slipped her hand into his again. "It's OK, Harry." She whispered as they fell behind the two men striding away down the path out of the castle. "I know you can't tell me and I know it's probably something to do with the death threat and with him, but if you need me…"
He tightened his grip on her hand so relieved at her unequivocal support that he couldn't speak for a long moment. "Thanks." He managed eventually.
She smiled at him and started talking about fourth year Runes and how he wasn't to tell her what was on the exam but she had started reading about the recombinations of Runes in protection in her fourth year text book and what were Harry's thoughts?
They discussed Runes all the way to the Hogwarts gates and caught up with Remus and Sirius waiting for them on the path. Harry and Hermione came to a halt in front of the two men and Harry waited impatiently; weren't they supposed to be doing something like apparating them?
"Harry," Sirius said dryly, "I'm afraid you're going to need to let go of Hermione so Remus can apparate with her to Black Manor."
Harry looked at him confused for a long moment before he realised he was still holding onto Hermione's hand. He blushed furiously as they untangled their fingers and Hermione, her own cheeks a rosy red, stepped away towards a visibly smirking Remus.
Sirius winked at Harry and placed an arm around Harry's shoulders as Remus disappeared out of sight. "Hold tight."
They reappeared in the reception room and Hermione smiled at him shyly.
Harry blushed again but smiled back to reassure her there was no harm done, and wondered again at the flip-flopping sensation in his belly. Cake, he decided as he followed Sirius out of the room; he just wanted cake; it had nothing to do with Hermione.
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